1li'1 1li DOR le DOR Published by the WORLD JEWISH SOCIETY

Honorary President: D AVID BEN GuRION 1;1"r President: ZALMAN SHAZAR Vice President: HARRY RusKIN Chairman: DR. HAIM GEVARYAHU Vice Chairman: DR. LoUis KATZOFF Treasurer: BEN ZION LURIA Chairman of the World Council of the Beth Hatenakh: DR. ISRAEL GOLDSTEIN Chairman of Budget and Finance: DR. GOLDSTEIN Chairman for North America: DR. AZRIEL EISENDI:RG, New York City Chairman for Latin America: MOSHE GuTE TAG, Buenos Aires Chairman for Europe: HERMANN WoHLMANN, Zurich

Editor: LOUIS KATZOFF

Managing Editor: JACOD G. GoLD

EDITORIAL BOARD: KASSEL ABELSON SOL LIPTZIN HAIM GEVARYAHU Eur:zm LIV}-;EH D. GOLDFARB Br:N ZION LURIA HAROLD D. HALPERN MAX M. ROTHSCHILD HALPERN HENRY SKJRBALl

Dor le Dor is published by the World Jewish Bible Society for the English reading public and is directed primarily to the interests of Jewish laymen who wish to deepen their under­ standing of their heritage through Bible study and appreciation. Membership: S 10 a year (additional S 5 for subscription to Beth Mikra, the Hebrew publication of the Israel Society for Biblical Research).

WORLD JEWISH BIBLE SOCIETY, 18 Abarbanel Str.,

An affiliate of the DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND CUI.TURI! IN THE DIASPORA OF THP WORI.D ZIONIST ORGANI/.ATION ------ AND FAUST

BY SoL LIPTZIN

Based on the daily readings of the Triennial Bible Reading Calendar beginning on August 19

The Book ofJob and Goethe's Faust are classics of world literature and rank among the finest expressions of the human mind. Structural similarities between both have often been noted but the basic differences between the older work, a profound product of the Hebraio attitude toward life, and the more modern work, a profound product of the Occidental attitude, have rarely been stressed. What are the structural similarities? Both classics begin with a Prologue in Heaven, In both the Heavenly Hosts present themselves before the Lord. Among them is also the Spirit of Negation, the sceptical, critical, contradictory force, God's shadow that God casts across the universe: Satan in the biblical version and Mephistopheles in Goethe's philosophical drama. Roaming .,­ about the earth and coming in contact with homo sapiens, the crown of • creation, Satan and Mephistopheles have lost all respect for the human race ' and doubt whether even superior individuals such as Job or Faust would remain faithful Servants of God if severely tested. A wager is entered into by the Lord of the Universe and his dark adversary, the Lord insisting that a good human being, amidst all temporary aberrations, cannot be permanently deflected from the right path, while the Spirit of Negation doubts that even a Job or a Faust can survive testing if it is carried far enough. The drama initiated in heaven is then enacted on earth and this forms the main content of both classics. In the end, after many ups-and-downs, God wim the wager. Job is rewarded for his steadfastness by being healed of his afflictions I ' and by being restored to prosperity. Faust is snatched from the claws of the hellish emissaries and transported by angels to the Abode of the Blessed. The basic differences between Job and Faust, despite structural similarities, are those that distinguish the Hebraic approach and Hebraic values from the

Sol Liptzin, formerly Professor of Comparative Literature at the City University of New York, is presently Professor of Humanities at the American College in Jerusalem. He is the author of seventeen volumes on worJd literature, including Germany's Stepchildren, The Jew in American Literature, and most recently, A History of Yiddish Literature (1972). Occidental approach and Occidental values. Job, but not Faust, is content to live out his life within the limitations set by God. He avoids evil and is blessed with health and riches. When both are taken from him, he does not abjure God and seek death, as his wife advises. He maintains his faith. He is prepared to accept suffering no Jess than joy. But what he will not countenance is injustice, what he does not understand is why he who led an apparently decent life has been singled out for so much pain, what he does demand of God is a reaflirmation that righteousness reigns on earth as in heaven. While his com­ forters insist that his affiictions are punishment for his sins, he insists on his guiltlessness. In the end, however, he submits to his tragic fate, not because he has been persuaded that he .is indeed a sinner but because he has become convinced that neither he nor any other tri-dimensional creature can fathom the intent and the ways of the infinitely dimensional deity. He accepts his assigned place in the pattern of the universe on the basis of faith and trust rather than on the basis of logical reasoning. He thus vindicates God's faith in him as in before him and in the descendants of Israel down the millennia after him. Faust, on the other hand, is not content to stay within the limits set for the human species by the divine creator. Nor does he care whether a just or unjust moral order permeates the universe. He tries to break out into unexplor­ ed dimensions of reality. His will to experience knows no bounds. Heaven and ..,., hell do ilot affright him. Forever striving, he does not shun wrongdoing, • seduction, murder. Striving is for him an end in itself and not a means toward I an ideally envisaged objective. "Wer immer strebend sich bemilht, den konnen wir erlosen" - in these words Goethe saw the key to Faust's salvation. In entering into the contract with Mephistopheles, Faust therefore exchanges a life of contemplation, the life of a scholar, for one of restless activity. He seeks self-realization, intensification of his sensations, rather than forgetfulness of self and immersion in a goal beyond self. If Job is tested by suffering, Faust is tested by joy, by being tempted with sensual pleasures and earthly satisfactions ranging from drunkenness in Auer­ bach's Cellarandloveinthearms of Gretchen to powerin the Emperor's realm and dominion over a magnificent estate of his own. Passion and reason war in the breast of Faust while Job steers clear of passionate involvement and strains toward universal justice. Passion leads Faust to sin and crime, and reason is perverted by him into a refined instrument to gratify his desires. Up to the end Faust countenances pillage and destruction to gain his end, to convert sand dunes into a flourishing estate as far as his eye can reach. He does not possess the moral sensitivity of Job, he does not really care as does Job whether righteousness or unrighteousness rules the universe. His ideal is the

.0 Viking, Germanic ideal upon which a Christian superstructure of redemption through love has been grafted. The Germans have prided themselves as being Faustian and have appro­ priated as their own Faustian ideology and Faustian characteristics. The German Brockhaus dictionary defined Faustian as "zu immer neuem Erleben driingend, niemals satt-zufrieden." According to Goethe, this insatiable aggressive dynamism is desirable and yet it must lead to damnation unless it is tamed by the Eternal Feminine - das ewig Weibliche - and buttressed by God's grace and Christian love. Hence, in the end the heavens are opened to admit the ever aspiring individual, despite all his errors and guilt, because of the saintly, forgiving Gretchen, whose tragic fate on earth stemmed from his seducing her under the tutelage of Mephistopheles. Faust is indeed in need of Christian forgiveness in order to escape damnation and to attain salvation in heaven, whereas Job is restored to renewed desirable existence on earth because there is justice in the terrestrial realm. If the people in the heart of Europe often refer to themselves as the people of Faust, the Jews may rightly claim to be the people of Job, the sufferer who clings to his God, aware that amidst almost unbearable loss and bodily torture, he has not been cast off by the Lord of Justice, the righter of wrongs, the creator of a universe in which truth overtops falsehood and morality reigns supreme.

'But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die' (Genesis 2:17)

Good and evil are words that cut the world in half. Soon we think with our words and our world becomes pieces.

Life and death are separate pieces ) because here too we have made two words from one peace.

The Greeks believed in balance, but balance is not God for balance only means that the pieces are of equal weight. The pieces are the apple of illusion. To bite the illusion is to know death.

From the pen of benShea

3 THE BURDEN OF JOB'S LONELINESS

Based on Job 19, Reading for September 9 in The Triennal Bible Reading Calendar

BY BEN ZION LURIA

Many are Job's complaints both against his friends and family, especially against God who appeared to have wronged him and punished him who was innocent of evil-doing. The thoughts to be found in this sixth speech of Job are numerous and deep. We shall limit our discussion to the attitude of his family and friends towards him after bitter misfortune befell him. In verse 9, Job begins with a complaint against the change which occurred in his status: God deprived me of honor and removed the crown of my head. Let us recall that, in the opening chapter, Job is portrayed as an innocent and honorable man who feared God and avoided evil ways. Evidently he was also a man of high position and good reputation, a leader of his tribe or the elder of a renowned household who commanded great respect. His sickness and the concomitant isolation which was imposed upon him deprived him of his honorable position. He was forced to remain outside the camp, on a heap of ashes. Moreover, his loneliness is more degrading and painful than the the affliction of boils on his body. For thus Job is removed from society and from his admirers. Thus he pours out his bitter spirit: My acquaintances have become strangers to me ... and my friends have forgotten me (Job ' 19:13-14). Similar expressions on the part of a man afflicted with sickness, who is thus left to himself, are to be found in the Book of Psalms. A reading of Psalms, chapter 88, leads us to imagine that the man who prays to God when he is "regarded as one who has descended the pit" (Ps. 88 :5) is none other than Job himself complaining, "Thou hast kept as a distance my friends from me" (Ps. 88 :9) and concluding with the words, "Thou hast kept from me lover and friend; my acquaintances are in darkness" (Ps. 88 :19)- that is to say, his friends appear to dwell in a dark zone, for he cannot see them. He is all alone. \ Because of his utter loneliness, Job's anger mounts. Whereas in his earlier (second) speech he complains, "My brothers failed me as a (dried up) wadi" (Job 6:15), thus accusing them of estrangement and keeping away from him, now he accuses God himself: "He kept my friends far from me" (Job 19:12), as if God himself were guilty of the treachery. In antiquity, society was very cruel toward lepers and those afflicted with boils. They appeared to be incurable and were consequently outcasts, receiving no care. Society sought to be rid of them and to keep them out

4 of sight. Thus, taking into consideration the position of the elder of the family in the patriarchal society of antiquity, Job's misfortune takes on huge propor­ tions, and his fall is steep indeed. All he can see about him is estrangement and treachery. Job, the master of his household, whose will constitutes law, sees his worth eroding and his word unheeded. His slaves pay no attention to him; they even regard him as a stranger. Job has thus one claim: Why this alienation and estrangement round about him. No one listens to his sighs, not even his wife and brothers. All have come to reject him, even to despise him. The young too mock him when he turns his back. In the past he had friends who were his confidants, with whom he spoke heart to heart. Now they have abandoned him, and he is despised by them because of the affliction which has disfigured him. Man is by nature a social creature, and loneliness is harder to bear than the worst sickness. Job's sixth speech gives expression to this wretched human condition. Translated by Solomon D. Goldfarb

'

5 JERUSALEM IN TI;JE BffiLE

BY SHMUEL ABRAMSKI

In the first three articles in this series we read about the beginnings ofJerusalem, how it became the City of David and how it grew in importance during Solo­ mon's reign. This chapter deals with the fluctuating development of the city during the Divided Kingdom up through the time of Hezekiah.

AFTER THE DIVISION OF THE KINGDOM

After the division of the Kingdom (ca. 930 B.C.E.), Jerusalem decreased in importance as an influential capital city of the East. And there is no donbt that it did not develop any further but continued in the rhythm of the times of David and Solomon. Its fortifications and surrounding wall as well as the treasures of the Temple were a source of glory to the kingdom and city. Yet it had not become, as is evident from written sources, a metropolis to which the merchants of Tyre and the pedlars of Arabia thronged, as in Solo­ mon's days. Priests and Levites, loyal to King Rehoboam, who had been expelled from the Kingdom of Israel, now came to David's city. It was they who lent to Solomon's Temple continuity in religious ritual and even, perhaps, a broad, legitimate all-embracing royal element, despite the fact that Jerusalem was now the capital only of the reduced Kingdom of Judea, which was cut off from the traffic-communications between the powerful kingdoms. Of them, we read in II Chronicles II :17: "So they strengthened the , and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong for three years; for they walked three years in the way of David and Solomon." A great danger threatened Jerusalem in the days of Rehoboam when Shishak, King of Egypt, invaded Judah: "And he took the fortified cities which pertained to Judah, and came unto Jerusalem" (ibid. 12:4). Pharaoh, however, was content with plundering the treasures of the Temple and the royal palace, taking all away (I Kings 14:26). Jerusalem, though, was not destroyed, and is not mentioned at all in the Shishak inscription which lists those Israelite cities which the Egyptians invaded.

Dr. Shmuel Abramski is Lecturer in Bible at Beersheba University. He is the author of "Ancient Towns in Israel" and a volume on Bar Kochba, as well as numerous articles on Bib1ical themes.

6 IDOLATRY REMOVED FROM JERUSALEM The purification of Jerusalem from idolators began in the days of King Asa and was completed in the reign of his son Jehoshaphat. In the time of Jehosha­ phat, Jerusalem had become the center for the army which had been organized anew throughout Judah. Jehoshaphat also set up in the capital a high court, whose function was not merely to arbitrate disputes, but also to instruct the judges and people of other cities in legal procedures. Heading this court were two personalities: one was "the chief priest in all matters of the Lord," the other was "the ruler of the house of Judah, in all the King's matters" (II Chron. 19:11). This was a kind of double authority in matters of faith and government. It would appear that Jerusalem served at that time as a center of law and learning, which the priests and Levites disseminated among the cities of Judah (ibid. 17:7-12).

JERUSALEM STRENGTHENED BY BUILDING OF TOWERS. It is difficult to learn how the ties between Judah and Israel in the days of Jehoshaphat influenced the material civilization of the capital. It would seem, however, that, in the course of time, idolatry flourished. In Jerusalem, as in Samaria, a temple was established for Baal, with altars and images, and a priest to minister before him (II Kings II: 18). It was during the reign of Jehoash that the cult of Baal was eradicated from the city, the Temple service replacing it and a place of honour assigned to the priests who performed holy functions and served the authority of the kingdom. It was Uzziah, one of the most powerful kings of Judah, who fortified the royal city: "Moreover, Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the Turning, and fortified them" (II Chron. 26 :9). This refers to buildings within the city limits, and perhaps to the extension of the boundaries. He also placed there new weapons: "And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and upon the corners, wherewith to shoot arrows and great stones" (ibid. 26:15). Jotham, his son, cpntinued the construction projects: "He built the upper gate of the house of the Lord, and on the wall ofOphel he built much" (ibid. 27:3). The reign of Ahaz was a low period for Jerusalem. Both the King of Israel and the King of Aram besieged it, and only subjugation to the King of Assyria could bring salvation, a subjugation which was not only political, but which was also expressed in the realms of faith and ritual. The King commanded the priest to build an altar in the city of Judah on the pattern of the pagan altar in Damascus, on which to offer burnt-offerings and meal-offerings, opposite the Temple of the Lord (II Kings 16 :9-16).

7 IN THE DAYS OF HEZEKIAH The Judean capital did not recover from the idolators' ritual until King Hezekiah restored the service of the God of Israel; it seems, not only in the ceremonial sense but also in the purification of the faith too, in line with its prophetic conception. It was at that time that the , son of Amoz, was active in Judah. He spoke of various concepts of Jerusalem as he saw it at various times, in its multiple and contradictory character; on the one hand: "the faithful city, full of justice, in which rightousness lodged", "the city of justice, the faithful city", and on the other hand, "a harlot", the center of falsehood, the city of murderers. "Thy princes are rebellious and companions of thieves; every one loveth bribes, and followeth after rewards; they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them" (I sa. I :21-23). Isaiah's prophecy reflects that the city of his day had developed, but although it was saturated with luxuries, the rulers still thought it necessary to' fortify it in the face of an enemy: "And ye numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and ye broke down the houses to f~rtify the wall; yc made also a basin between the two walls for the water of the old pool" (Isa. 22:10-11). However, the prophet's principal claim is that belief in the God of Israel ensures the defense of the City of David.

THE SILOAM POOL A change in the status of the royal city took place at the end of the 8th century B.C.E. when, during the reign of King Hezekiah, as in the days of David and Solomon, the city once again became the main center of royal activity. During the rebellion against Sennacherib, King of Assyria, the King fortified the capital, repaired the breach in the wall dating from his father Ahaz's reign, erected towers and assembled an army inside Jerusalem. During Hezekiah's reign a tunnel was dug that drew the waters of the Gihon into the city. The King blocked the upper source of Gihon so that its water would flow into Jerusalem through the tunnel. This ensured the water supply of the capital in times of siege (II Kings 20:20; II Chron. 32:2-4, 30). The success of this project is described in the Siloam inscriptions, written in Hebrew, engraved on the wall of the tunnel and discovered in the last century. The inscription records how the excavators worked in opposite directions and how they met at the midpoint of the tunnel. They dug each, as it were, facing the other: "axe upon axe, until the water flowed from its source to the pool, a distance of 1,200 cubits." The tunnel was dug very tor­ tuously because of the nature of the rock. They had to choose rock that was neither too hard nor too soft, lest it fall on the heads of those who dug. The

8 length of the tunnel was 513 metres; its direct line wa~ 320 metres. The tunnel led to the pool called by the Arabs to this day al-Bracha. From here, the water~ flowed to other pools inside the city too.

ASSYRIA's ARMY AITACKS FROM MOUNT SCOPUS Jerusalem at that period faced destruction. The Assyrian army approached, destroying Judean cities, and reached the gates of Jerusalem. Sennacherib called the King of Judah, "Hezekiah the Judean", boasting about him: "I have locked him up in the heart of Jerusalem, his royal city, as is a bird in a cage; I have set up fortresses around him." Apparently, Sennacherib's armies approached from the south, from the lowland of Judea and the Lachish region. Isaiah's prophecy describes the march of Assyria's forces into Jerusalem from the north, meaning the army of Sennacherib. But the question remains whether this is indeed the same as the march against Jerusalem mentioned in Kings and in the Sennacherib inscription. Did the Assyrians make a simultaneous attack from north and south? Perhaps we are thinking of quite another march made by the same King into Judah and its capital. Be that as it may, this prophecy testifies to the danger threatening the City of David in the reign of King Hezckiah. Isaiah dramatically describes the surprise attack of the foreign army, the march which inspired terror, the panic which seized Judea and the miraculous deliverance: "He is come to Aiath, he is passed through Migron; at Michmas he layeth up his baggage; they are gone over the pass; they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah trembleth; Gibeath-Shaul is fled. Cry thou with a shrill voice, 0 daughter of Gallim! Madmenah is in mad flight; the inhabitants of Gebim flee to cover" (lsa. 10:28-31). Although not all the places enumerated in this chapter are known to us, the general route is clear. The foreign army came from Mount Ephraim by way of Shechem, south to Bethel, then to Mount Scopus. Their march took in these places: Michmas, Geba, Ramah, Gibeath Shaul (Tel-el Pol, about 4.5 kilo­ meters north of Jerusalem) and Anathoth the birth place of the prophet . The army marched from north to south and turned eastward casting confusion among the local inhabitants. It reached Nob (perhaps in the vicinity of the Hadassah Hospital on Mount Scopus), advanced along the ridge from Mount Scopus to the Mount of Olives, and stood threatening Jerusalem: "This very day shall he halt at Nob, shaking his hand at the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem" (Isa. 10:32).

9 JERUSALEM IS SAVED Jerusalem was saved. It would appear that there were two causes for the retreat of the Assyrians: a) Conflicts within Sennacherib's kingdom, which ended in his murder (II Kings 19:7, 37). These conflicts actually broke out a few years after the siege of Jerusalem; but possibly during Sennacherib's siege of Jerusalem too there was tension in the Assyrian kmg's court, although there is no documentation of this; b) An epidemic broke out among the army camped at the entrance to Jerusalem. The Bible (II Kings 19:35) tells us: "And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred fourscore and five thousand; and when men arose early in the morning. behold, they were all dead corpses." The Greek historian Herodotus records that field mice invaded Sennacherib's camp during his war with Egypt and gnawed the soldiers' weapons to the extent that they were compelled to flee the next day. Perhaps reference to the disaster suffered by Sennacherib at the mountains of Jerusalem is included in Herodotus' account. We must not lose sight of the fact that Jerusalem withstood the siege thanks to Isaiah's great influence. Jerusalem, saved from the hands of Sennacherib, symbolized in Isaiah's prophecy that there would be a Day of Judgement, which would be revealed suddenly: "For I will defend this city to save it, for Mine own sake, and for My servant David's sake" (ibid. 19 :34). To be continued

And he came unto his father, and said: 'My father'; and he said: 'Here am 1; who art thou, my son?' (Genesis 27:18)

When I call out, I know myself to be a child, to need my father. And, my father knows me to be his child.

Still, I do not limit him with a name; for although a child creates a father as much as a father creates a child - to create is not to define, to limit.

Likewise, when the father answers, he answers with a question- 'who art thou, my son?' He knows me for his son, but who his son is or will be is the gift each father gives his child. A gift that he helps the child to open over time by being there when called, with a question!

It is this conversation of questions that paints fathers in the eyes of sons,

From the pen of Noah benSirea

10 NOTES ON THE VERSE OF THE WEEK

TRIENNIAL BIBLE READING CALENDAR

By S. KOHN

LET EVERYTHING PRAISE THE LORD Week of July 7, 1974

JULY m:m

su 7 Psalms 146 1~p c•?nnt!~ll~ ~wp ~p:~w c1~ T' MO 8 Psalms 147 mp c•?nn n• TU 9 Psalms 148 n~p c•?nn V' WE 10 Psalms 149 o~p c•?nn ;:, TH 11 Psalms 150 lP ll';nn N:l FR 12 Proverbs 1 n •?w :::!::1 SA 13 K ,K M'~,, 'tlC/1 lli!J.C l:l Numbers 28 MJ ,:J.'m:J. : )1'117

JI~WlJI lo:l :n)ll,l ~~~ll2 IJII~~n VDW ~~~~ll!l IJII~~JI n• Praise him upon sounding cymbals; praise"''~~" him upon~~"" Joud clashing cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord, Haleluya! (Ps. 150:6)

The essential service (avoda) of the Temple was the sacrificial system- the regular morning and evening sacrifices. There was also the trimming of the candles and the burning of the incense on the golden altar. On the New Moon, Sabbaths and Holy Days additional sacrifices were offered. At the beginning of the harvest, the Orner was brought to the Temple on the second day of Passover, and on Shavuot the (Bikurim) first fruits were offered to the Kohen. Every week the twelve loaves of bread were placed in two rows on the Jn':>!ZI C'lDll - the Table of the Show-Bread. The "avoda", the sacrificial service, in the minds of the Jew and in the literature of the Bible and the , seems to have overshadowed the main and permanent contributions of the Temple. These were the prayers and

Rabbi Kohn, now residing in Jerusalem, was the spiritual leader of Utica, New York, and Trenton, New Jersey. He is the author of The Jewish Community of Utica, 1847-1948 and The Synagogue in Jewish Life. He has written as well for the Jewish Quarterly Review-on historical Jewish personalities and families in the United States.

II prayer services that at first accompanied the sacrifices and were later transferred to the communities outside of the Temple. These prayers helped immensely the development of the synagogue and its liturgy. The second great contribution was the music that was prevalent in the Temple in connection with the prayers as well as on occasions of thanksgiving during public celebrations of national events such as a great victory over invading forces or the pilgrim processions to the Temple. We read that during the First Temple (I Chronicles 23 :30), in addition to the sacrificial service, it was customary for the Levites to sing every morning and evening thanksgiving and praises to the Lord to the accompaniment of "lyres with harps, and with cymbals" (I Chronicles 25:1; II Chronicles 29:25). This custom was continued during the Second Temple which developed an elaborate musical repertoir. This is illustrated in today's recitation of the daily Psalm at the end of the morning (Shacharit) service, the very Psalms which were sung by the Levites in the Temple. It has been said, "that in all the Holy Writings God speaks to man but in the Book of Psalms the soul of man speaks to God". Speaking to God, expressing one's thoughts and feelings, is best done in musical terms and in poetry. It is more pleasant to express joy in words accompanied by lyrical music; the feeling of sorrow or devastation in mournful notes, or public exultation of a great national event with joyful instrumental music. These two contributions of the Temple - namely, prayers and music - bequeathed to the synagogue, are best illustrated in the Book of Psalms. Of the one hundred and fifty Psalms, more than ninety are found in our Siddur that are recited during regular synagogue services and on various home occasions. The very Psalms illustrate also the range of music developed in the Temple. Many of the Psalms are introduced by technical musical terms such as "mizmor", which means that the poem was sung by a choir or by an individual accompanied by musical instrument. Fifty-seven pslams are cap­ tioned with the term "mizmor'' and, in most cases, arc followed by the name of the author, like "mizmor l'David" or "mizmor l'Asaph." The term "lamna?ea(l" introducing the psalm refers to the director of the Levitical choir in the responsive singing or the soloist in connection with the choir, or even the throng of people. There are approximately forty-six such references. Many of the psalms are in connection with the pilgrim groups marching to Jerusalem, to the Temple for celebrations, especially of the Three Pilgrim Festivals, - Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot. There are fifteen such psalms (121-134) designated specifically as "shir hama•alot", the song of ascents. The term "sela" which occurs frequently at the end of a stanza or even a

12 verse is a technical musical term denoting accentuation or raising the voice at the end of the song. It is also of significan~e to note that eleven musical instruments are mentioned in the final psalm of the Book of Psalms. The destruction of the Temple in 70 C. E. was considered a national calamity and in solemn commemoration instrumental music was banned in the syna­ gogue. But vocal music could not be stifled. The Temple-centered music came to an end but the synagogue opened a new period of development in prayer and music. The institution of the Temple was commonplace among the great nations with which Israel came in contact, especially the Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks and Romans. They had their elaborate musical festivals, incantations to the gods, worship of idolatry and heathenism. But it was the Temple in Jerusalem that put its eternal stamp on the ethical import of the sacrificial system and handed down this great spiritual legacy to the synagogue in the form of prayer and music.

THIRTY THOUSAND YOUTH PARTIOPATE IN BIBLE CONTEST IN U.S.A.

Over 30,000 students took part in the many local Bible contests throughout the United States, according to Dr. E. Gannes, Director of the American Section of the Depart­ ment for Education and Culture of the World Zionist Organization. Israel Back, Director of the U.S.A. Bible Contest, described the various forms the Bible contest takes, depending on the type of school attended by the students. Two of the contests are conducted in Hebrew, since they draw the participants from intensive aU-day and afternoon Hebrew schools, while two other contests are held in English. In all, 650 schools are represented in these contests. Seven winners of the national contest represent the U.S.A. at the International Youth Bible Contest, held annually on Israel Independence Day in Jerusalem. At the time of publi­ cation, the U.S.A. representatives had not been announced as yet. The autumn number will carry the· names of all the international contestants, representing nineteen or twenty nations. ''Though the Bible contest reflects only the sporting side of Bible study," stated Dr. Gannes, "the love of is manifested by the growing number of Jewish students who take upon themselves additional study in reading special books of the Bible in order to be part of this world wide effort of knowing better the Book of Books. We were especially proud of the American winners of the 1973 International Contest who took the top three positions, which is a tribute to the zeal of the American contingent in this unified cultural event of world Jewish youth."

13 NOTES ON THE VERSE OF THE WEEK TRIENNIAL BmLE READING CALENDAR

BY HAIM GEVARYAHU

THEME: WHO WAS THE TEACHER IN BIBLICAL DAYS? Week of August 4, 1974

AUGUST lN onm

su 4 Proverbs 19 tl' ''111~ TD MO 5 Proverbs 20 ~·?w T' TU 6 Proverbs 21 ~~~·?w WE 7 Proverbs 22 :~:~•m ~"' TH 8 Proverbs 23 ~·?w :l FR 9 Proverbs 24 -n•?w N:l SA 10 i' ,t)~ ·l'r'l'to~ 'tmi1 !:Iilii :l:l Deuteronomy 9 o c,,~, : !I'll?

1:o>n ,., Dill 'It lnl ,lll 'l:llftl I'~ Ill Even a cAild is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right. (Prov. 20:1l)

The Book of Proverbs is a book on Education. The experience of the ancient sages was garnered for advice on how to rear the child and develop him into a wise and moral human being. That they were cognizant of psychological aspects of growth is evident from our verse, "Even a child is known by his doings" (Prov. 20:11). The question we would like to raise in this instance, who was the teacher of the child according to the author of Proverbs?

A SCHOOL FOR WRITING Some scholars are of the opinion that the Book of Proverbs represents a textbook for students of an ancient Israelite scribal school, perhaps a school for upper classes. An analogy for such a school would be the many writing schools prevalent in ancient Egypt about which we know from numerous sources. A Biblical folklore reference to a scribal school may be evident as well from the verses in Isaiah: And the vision of all this has become unto you like the words of a sealed book, which men give to someone able to read, saying, 'Read this, please', whereupon he replies, 'I cannot, for it is sealed'.

14 '

NOTES ON THE VERSE OF THE WEEK Triennial Bible Reading Calendar

By HAIM GEVARYAHU

THEME: A PERFECT WIFE Week of August 18, 1974

AUGUST, ?1?N/:IN onm

su 18 Proverbs 31 !t? •?tv?.l IM1M tuN, MO 19 Job I I! :11'!t !M1M WJC, l\' TU 20 Job 2 :1 :1 1'1( :J WE 21 Job 3 l :11"1! l TH 22 Job 4 , :11'K :1 FR 23 Jobs n::n"M il SA 24 ::::1." ,Nl i1'~tv' 't:C:'I Cl'llll1tu , Deuteronomy 19 D' C",:l, :l1'll?

n,:tt) tltltUit1 p,n,, M~J:)t tJ:) !Jtn f1WN Who can fincl a woman of worth? for her price is far above rubies. (Prov. 31 :10)

The Biblical ideal of womanhood, as reflected in the earliest chapters of Genesis, is twofold: to be the partner of her husband in procreation (Gen. I :28) and to be a helpmate to her husband (Gen 2: 18). On the former, it is evident that the Bible glorifies the fertility of the wife. On the latter, the concluding section (ch. 31) of the Book of Proverbs epitomizes the perfect wife in her role as presiding guide and guardian of the home.

THE AIM OF THE COMPILER OF PROVERBS What was the aim of the author of Proverbs in concluding his book on Wisdom with his aleph-beth acrostic of the woman of valor? Various inter­ pretations are given by the scholars. lt could be a description of the ideal woman, or of the ideal wife and mother. Some think that this was written as a text for a girls' school where manners were taught and instruction given ori becoming an ideal bride. And there is a school of thought that this was a superscription of the compiler in giving credit to his wife - a dedication of his

17 book, as it were - for enabling him to write it since she took care of all the household matters, leaving him free to "take his seat among the elders of the land" and "to be respected at the city gates" (v. 23).

WOMAN IN THE BOOK OF PROVERBS Womanhood is mentioned often in the Book of Proverbs, both compli­ mentary and not. At times she appears as a seducer, to be avoided at the peril of pain and shame (5:1-14; 6:24-35). Foolish women are described sarcastical­ ly, regardless of their physical beauty: As a golden ring in the snout of a pig, so is an attractive woman who lacks discretion (II :22). Contentious women are singled ont for derision: The steady dripping of a gutter on a rainy day and a scolding woman are alike (27: 15). The author is not oblivious of woman's faults, but he is especially cognizant of woman's talents and virtues. A wise and industrious woman is especially glorified. She is a crown to her husband- n?11:1 n,tlll ?•n n!VII (12:4), getting him honor - ,,:1:1 1~nn Jn nwlt. Houses and riches are the inheritance of fathers, but a prudent wife is a gift of God (19:14). He who finds a wife finds happiness and receives a mark of favor from the Almighty (18 :22). • Marital bliss is pictured in the physical joy between husband and wife, an exclusive joy, not to be shared with others. In chapter 5 where the author warns against the snares of the loose-living woman, he romanticizes true love in lawful conjugal mutuality:

Drink the water from your cistern, and fresh water from your own well. Do not let your fountains flow to waste elsewhere nor your streams in the public streets. Let them be for yourself alone, not for strangers at the same time. Let your fountain be blessed; and find joy with the wife of your youth, fair as a hind, graceful as a fawn. Let hers be the company you keep, hers the breasts that ever fill you with delight, hers the love that ever holds you captive.

* The sages were so struck by the similarity of the word "to find" that they distinguished a happy from an unhappy marriage in the change of the form from N::l" to N3~1:l, basing it on this verse in Proverbs depicting the happy marriage - :nll N¥1) i1WN N ::& "' - .. Who finds a wife finds a great good" (Prov. 18:22) and on the verse in Ecclesiastes, ... nt'Ni1 nK rn"'"' ,, "lK K311:l1- ''I find woman more bitter than death" (Ecclesiastes 7:26).

IS Why be seduced, my son, by an alien woman, and fondle the breast of a woman who is a stranger? For the eyes of God observe a man's ways and survey all his paths. Proverbs 5:15-21

WISDOM PERSONIFIED IS THE WOMAN Is it not significant that whenever Wisdom is personified in the Book of Proverbs, it is the woman who speaks? Wisdom calls aloud in the streets, she raises her voice in the public squares (I :21). Does not Wisdom call and Under­ standing lift up her voice? (8:1). Say unto Wisdom: 'Thou art my sister' (7:4). From the lips of woman come the words of prudence, truth and kindness, It is almost as though she were the exclusive source of such wisdom.

0 men! I am calling to you: my cry goes out to the sons of men. Listen, I have serious things to tell you; from my lips come honest words. My mouth proclaims the truth; wickedness is hateful to my lips. All the words I say are right, nothing twisted in them, nothing false. I, Wisdom, dwell with prudence and find out knowledge in lucidity of thought. Good advice and sound judgment belong to me; I am understanding; power is mine. Proverbs 8:4-14

THE ESHET I;IA YIL The good wife is defined in chapter 31 in terms of her role as "home econo­ mist". Initiative, inventive ingenuity and industry characterize her life as a far-sighted manager. She gets up while it is dark to prepare the food for her household. Her lamp does not go out at night, and her hands are set to the distaff (v. 19) and her fingers to the spindle (v. 19), doing her work with eager hands (v. 13). Busy with her wool and flax, she has no fear of the snow and the cold (v. 21), for her household will be warmly clothed: She is clothed in strength and dignity, she can laugh at the days to come (v. 25), for she keeps good watch on the conduct of her household; there is no bread of idleness for her (v. 27). She is wise and she is generous: When she opens her mouth, she does so wisely; on her tongue is kindly instruction (v. 26). She holds out her hand

19 to the poor, she opens her .arms to the needy (v. 20). Her personal self­ realization is assured by her eagerness for the name and reputation of her husband and family (v. 23). No wonder that her children call her blessed and her works tell her praises at the city gates. Her children rise up and call her blessed, her husband, too, sings her praises: 'Many women have done valiantly, but you surpass them all!' Grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her at the city gates. Proverbs 31:28-31 ESHET I;IAYIL AND THE SHABBA T The Jewish worshipper chants the Lekha Dodi in the synagogue on Friday evening welcoming the Sabbath Bride with the words composed by the Kabbalist, Solomon Alkabetz, in the sixteenth century: Come in peace, and come in joy, Thou who art thy bridegroom's pride Come, 0 bride, and shed thy grace O'er the faithful chosen race; Come, 0 bride! Come, 0 bride! n?~pl n~111 'lD n7~ nK"1p7 ,,,, n~?. Lekhah Dodi, come to meet the bride, 0 bridegroom, Let us welcome the presence of the Sabbath. As he returns home after the service, the father and his household sing Shalom Aleikhem, welcoming the angels of peace who come from on high and carry with them the blessings of the Sabbath into the home. Then, the husband turns to his wife and sings to her the song of endearment of Eshet l;layil, praising the virtues of the perfect wife. In this sanctified setting of the Sabbath table, the Sabbath candles, the two Sabbath I;Iallot, the Kiddush cups and wine - and with the children gathered near the parents, the husband serenades his wife in the gentle words of chapter 31, renewing and deepening the love and the unity in the family. The Sabbath dinner is not just a meal. It is a sanctification of life, wherein the wife-mother plays a major role in the beauty of the home.

Translated from the Hebrew by Louis Katzof/

20 SOURCES ON TI:JE I:JISTORY OF TORAI:J READING

BY Loms KATZOFF

This is the fifth in a series of notes on the history of Torah reading. We shall discuss the variations in the number of Torah portions read on week days and on other days such as holidays and fast days. The sources in the original text and their interpretations form a lesson· in Talmudic literature.

THREE OR FOUR READINGS Tractate Megil/ah 2la On Mondays and Thursdays, as well as on Mislma

Shabbat Minl)a, only three portions are read in nnl~::J n::JIV::J 'IV'Ilm 'liV::J the Torah. This is the minimum number of 1n~ 1'nmD J'N , ntD?w J',1i' readings at any time. However, the number goes J'M1 Cl"!'7l7 J'!l'01~ J'M1 up as we move to other days which, for one 'II'K,::J •••K':Il::J 1','tl!l~ reason or another, have more significance. (See ,111~ ?11> 1?1n:11 C'IV,n further for the number of readings on the festi­ 1'nm!l J'N .n~t::J,K 1,1v vals, Yom Kippur and the Sabbath.) 1l"I'71J 1'!l'017l 1'111 1l"l~ A general principle is offered by the Mishna l"ll •••N':Il::J J','tl!l~ J'N1 which appears to be the reason for an additional ~01~ 1::1 VI'IV 7~ ??~l"l fourth reading on Rosh I:Jodesh and f:Iol Hamo­ .l"!IJ::J,N 1',1i' :11tl C1' 1l'N1 ed, to wit: Since additional Musaf prayers (~01~) are recited on both these days, a fourth On Mondays, Thursdays reading is added. The Mishna parenthetically and on Shabbat at remarks that, though the Musaf is read on Minl)a, three come up festivals as well, the rule applies only to Rosh to the Torah to read, I:Jodesh and to f:Iol Hamoed with regard to neither more nor less, a fourth reading. nor is a Haftarah read From the Mishna we learn that the reason for from a prophet... On the distinction between week days (three read­ Rosh I:Jodesh and on ings) and Rosh I:Jodesh and f:Iol Hamoed (four f:Iol Hamoed four read, readings) is that the additional prayers of Musaf neither more nor less, necessitate an additional Torah reading. But it and there is no Haftarah seems that the Gemara has quite a different from a prophet... This is reason for this distinction. The Gemara estab­ the general rule: On any lishes the distinction on the principle of stoppage day which has a Musaf of work. This principle was arrived at in the but is not a festival, four course of discussion concerning the number of read from the Torah.

21 readings on a fast-day, such as Tisha Be-av (not M egil/ah 22a Yom Kippur). How many readings should there ,,:a~ M'llln :1n? ll'll:l'll be on fastdays, asks the Gemara. Shall we say 1111~1 tn1n lllll, ?n~:a:a that on Rosh I;Iodesh and I;Iol Hamoed, when nll:l,ll ~C1~ ):I,J? K:I'K'T an additional offering (~C1~ ):I,J?) was brought ):I,J? 11::1'?1 K:an ?:aM to the Temple, a fourth aliyah was added in the '~l K:ln 1!~'1'1 1N .11? Torah reading, which is not the case on a fast­ ?n?~n ~C1~ K:I'K day? Or shall we argue that a fast-day should have a fourth reading since there is an additional prayer (Ulll) inserted in the Shemone Esre? At first the Gemara tried to deduce from the Megillah 22a text of the Mishna that, by particularizing the 1?1n:11 C'lii1M 'll/11,::1 lii"M four readings on Rosh I;Iodesh and I;Iol Hamoed, Kn •nll:a,K 1',1i' 1111~ ?tu the fast-days are excluded and would have only Kl.l'K ;ntu?tu ,,:a~ M'lliM:I three readings. However, by the same reasoning, "'W"~M:l1 "l'O:l : NID"., the particularization of three readings on week­ .ntu?e> r,,i' nnJ~:a n:a111:a1 days by the Mishna would lead us to exclude the .;!ll:I,K ,1::1~ M'lliM:I Kn fast-day, which would thus have four readings. ll~ll/'7.l? N:a'? Kn~ 11?11 Since from the style of the Mishna text we can .:'ll"~ derive both inferences which contradict each other, the evidence from that source in incon­ clusive.

THREE READINGS ON FAST DAYS The Gemara brings another source which M egillah 22b establishes conclusively that only three Torah 1::1 111'1!1 ?:a :??:an nt tu"n portions are read on fast days - and that, on n'llln Jll:l n:aK?~ ?1ll':l the basis of work delay. People work on fast days l',,i' :m:a nllli/Ml ,,:a~ and an additional reading leads to a work ?1tl':a 1::1 l'Kll/1 .nll/?tu hindrance. Work is reduced or suspended on 'li/N, )1l:l Cll? n:aK?I.l Rosh I;Iodesh and I;Iol Hamoed, which leaves 1111~ ?111 1?1n1 C'll/1n more time for an additional reading. This is .l1'l'7.l lll.lll/ .n11:a,K r,,i' given as a "general rule" (;?:an m) by the Gemara. Though the Gemara "settles the question" 11? JlK Km 'll/11 :a, ,~~~ about the fast-day, Rav Ashi is not satisfied. C1' ?:a ??:an m :':an pn The "general rule" (??:an m) of the Mishna C1' 1l'K1 ~C17.l 1::1 ll/'ll/ that the Musaf determines the addition of .nll:a,tt l',,i' :a11l the fourth aliyah on Rosh I;Iodesh and I;Iol Hamoed contradicts the "general rule" of "work

22 hindrance". This difficulty is resolved by the 01j'l •• ,!:1':1' ltll?ll!:l lllll'C Gemara in a revised interpretation of the 'DO, ?!:1 .,,,!:1 11??!:1 11':1 "general rule". The Mishna does not mean to 'DD .n•,:~nll ttn':o·~ ;,-; give a restrictive "general rule" but rather a 1!:1?•n .tt,•n• tt,!:ll :~•? "general principle" which explains why the J!:l,i' 11!:1'11, ,1111l1 nn,!:l festivals, Yom Kippur and the Sabbath have on1'!:1 ;:111!:1,11 J',1j:' 'JC11l each an additional reading. F,or every additional n!:ltt?~ n"tvll!:l ,,ott, distinguishing mark, there is an additional n,!:l !V1lll, !:lnm•!:l ;ll'ZIIln Torah portion (aliyah). Hence, on Rosh I:Ioc;lesh ,10'11 11!:1'11, n!:I'ZI ;:t!V'ZI and I:Iol Hamoed, when there is an addition­ .:tii!:I'ZI n?•pc al Temple offering, four persons are called to the Torah; on festivals, when work is forbid­ den also, five aliyot are called up. Yom Kippur and the Sabbath have special marks of severity for violations and therefore have six and seven readings respectively.

CONCLUSIONS a) Three portions, the minimal number, are read on Mondays and Thursdays because they are work days. b) Three portions are read on fast-days- for the the same reason. c) Four portions are read on Rosh I:lodesh and I:Iol Hamoed because there is an added element, the musaf. d) An element is added each time on festivals, Yom Kippur and Sabbaths, leading to five, six and seven aliyot respectively. e) On Mondays and Thursdays, Rosh I:lodesh and I:Iol Hamoed, only the prescribed number of aliyot are read, no more, no less; also, no Haftarah. is added.

23 THE FAMILY CORNER

Tf:IE BOOK OF BEMIDBAR - NUMBERS

BY PHILIP L. LIPIS AND Loms KATZOFF

Since our Dor le-Dor appears only four times during the year, we are presenting in this issue the books of Numbers and Deuteronomy, which complete the cycle of the Pentatenchfor the year 5734. Our emphasis this year has been on questions suitable for very young children, ages four to eight. Though we have endeav­ ored to direct the content to the interests of this age level, we cannot be certain that the questions and answers will exactly fit this group, and we would welcome your letters telling of your success and problems in communicating with your children, the very young or a bit older. The older children in the family, especially the youth, can be called upon to lead the discussions for their younger brothers and sisters in some of the questions. Above all, try to phrase the questions and answers to meet the comprehension level of your young children. Next year we shall focus the questions toward children eight to fourteen, and in the following year toward youth of high school age.

Turn to page 32 for the answers. Transliterated names of Sidrot, persons and places follow the new Koren editions of the Tenakh.

BEMIDBAR May 25, 1974 The Torah (J.P.S. Edition) pp. 241-250 Hertz Pentateuch pp. 568-580

I. Why is this book called Numbers? 2. The census was not taken for the entire population. Which section was counted? 3. What was the total number of adult males? 4. Which were the largest and smallest tribes? 5. What was the difference between the largest and smallest tribes?

Rabbi Lipis is Rabbi Emeritus of the North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, Highland Park, UJiniois, where he served as spiritual leader for two decades. Now residing in Los Angeles, he is on the faculty of the University of Judaism, lecturing on Jewish Philosophy and Literature. Dr. Katzoffis Adjunct Associate Professor of Social Science and Education at the American College in Jerusalem. He is the Editor of Dor Ie-Dor and Vice-Chairman of the World Jewish Bible Society.

24 NASO June I, 1974

The Torah (J.P.S. Edition) pp. 250-260 Hertz Pentateuch pp. 586-601

I. In the previous Sidra, a census was taken of all the tribes but not of the tribe of . At the beginning of our Sidra, a census is taken of this tribe, according to its three main families. Which was the largest family, and which the smallest? 2. The total number of the Levites counted in the census was 8,580. In the previous Sidra, we found that the smallest tribe had nearly four times that many. Could it be that the tribe of Levi was that much smaller? 3. Who were Qehat, Gershon and Merari? 4. These three Levite families served in the Sanctuary, each family having its specific functions. Which tasks were assigned to each family? 5. Why did the Levites start their service in the Tabernacle as late as age thirty and retire as early as age fifty?

BEHA'ALOTEKHA June 8, 1974

The Torah (J.P.S. Edition) pp. 260-269 Hertz Pentateuch pp. 605-619

I. The opening passage of the Sidra tells of the way to light the Menorah. How many candlesticks did the Tabernacle Menorah have? 2. Examine your mother's candlestick. Would you say that it is made of one piece, or is it made of sections which are put together? How was the Tabernacle Menorah made? 3. Look again at your mother's candlestick. Do the hghts go straight up or do they turn toward the center stem? How were the lights of the Tabernacle Menorah directed? 4. Why, do you think, were and commanded to turn the wicks toward the center? Was it because in this way the Menorah would seem to give out one combined blaze of light, thus increasing the illumi­ nation? Or perhaps, by turning them inward, the lights would not be diffuse and thus give less light? 5. What is the main difference between the Temple Menorah and our Hanukkah Menorah?

25

' SHELAI:I June 15, 1974 The Torah (J.P.S. Edition) pp. 269-277 Hertz Pentateuch pp. 623-634

I. How would you explain the colors of white and blue in the Hebrew flag? 2. What ritual objects are worn today based on the Biblical passage (15 :37-41) concerning 11~·~? And what are they called in Hebrew? 3. Where in our prayerbook do we have the Parsha (15:37-41) of Tzitzit? 4. Why is the Tzitzit kissed when the Shema is recited in the morning Shacharit service, but not in the evening Maariv service? 5. What main symbol does the Tallit represent today?

QORAI:I June 22, 1974 The Torah (J.P.S. Edition) pp. 277-283 Hertz Pentateuch pp. 639-648

1. In this Sidra we read about a revolt of Qorai) against the leaders Moses and Aaron. Who was Qorai)? 2. Who was Aaron? 3. What trait in Qorai) stirred him to revolt? 4. What honors did Aaron have that prompted Qorai) to challenge Moses and Aaron? 5. How did the crisis end?

I:IUQQAT June 29, 1974 The Torah (J.P.S. Edition) pp. 283-289 Hertz Pentateuch pp. 652-664

I. Why didn't the Israelites, except Joshua and Caleb, enter the Promised Land? 2. Why didn't Moses enter the Promised Land? 3. What was wrong about Moses' action when he struck the rock for water? 4. But what was so wrong about striking the rock? Wasn't Moses given exactly this method to extract water in an earlier incident of lack of drinking water (Exodus 16:7)? 5. What popular modern Hebrew song is connected with this story?

26 BALAQ June 6, 1974

The Torah (J.P.S. Edition) pp. 289-297 Hertz Pentateuch pp. 669-682

Funny things happen in this Sidra. You would think that we are in the world of Alice in Wonderland. There are three characters in this play: The donkey, the soothsayer and the angel. Let us follow the sequence of the strange happenings. Bil" am (Salaam) the soothsayer, after some hesitation and ambivalence, accepts the invitation of the king of Moab to curse the Israelites. But he does not know what he is in for, before he gets to see the camp of the Jsraelites. Let us see.

1. As Bil'arn is riding on his donkey, with his two servants alongside, the donkey catches sight of the angel of the Lord standing in the way, with drawn sword in hand. What does the donkey do, and what happens? 2. Now the angel stations himself in a narrow lane between the vineyards, with a fence on either side, and again stands in their way. What happens? 3. Once more the angel of the Lord moves forward and stations himself on a spot so narrow that there is no room to swerve right or left. What does .' the donkey do now, and how does Bil'am react? 4. Now we come to the crisis in the story. What happens? .) 5 . And so we find the soothsayer corning and facing the Israelite camp for the purpose of cursing, but instead stays to praise the people of Israel. One • of his statements was so impressively complimentary that it was incorporat- ed into our Siddur and is the opening verse of the service._ What is this statement?

PINEI;IAS July 13, 1974

The Torah (J.P.S. Edition) pp. 297-307 Hertz Pentateuch pp. 686--698

1. In this Sidra all the major holidays are mentioned. See how many you can remember. 2. What are the three major festivals? 3. To which of the festivals does the holiday of Simchat Torah belong? 4. Which two holidays do we observe today that are not mentioned in this chapter? 5. Why are Hanukkah and Purim called minor holidays?

27 MATTOT-MAS'E (Shabbat Rosh l;lodesh) July 20, 1974 The Torah (J.P.S. Edition) pp. 307-320 Hertz Pentateuch pp. 702-724 I. How do we know from the Bible that a person must keep his promise? 2. Is a child held liable for promises he cannot keep? 3. What is a vow, both positive vow and negative vow? 4. Should you tell your mother and dad when you have made a promise or pledge? 5. Is there a difference between when a boy becomes liable for vows taken and when a girl does?

Tl;IE BOOK OF DEVARIM - DEUTERONOMY DEVARIM (Shabbat l;lazon) July 27, 1974 The Torah (J.P.S. Edition) pp. 323-330 Hertz Pentateuch pp. 736-749 I. Why did Moses make his longest speeches when he was 120 years old and not earlier? 2. Remembering what said to his children near the end of his life, what do you think Moses said at the end of his farewell address? 3. How would an old man start a last message to his followers? With what did Moses begin his address? 4. Would it be natural for a man in his final speech to give advice as he relates the history, and perhaps to express as well some criticism of his people? 5. Though Moses expressed some critical observations about his people, was his address encouraging and optimistic, or the reverse?

VA'ET!;IANNAN (Shabbat Nal)amu) August 3, 1974 The Torah (J.P.S. Edition) pp. 330-338 Hertz Pentateuch pp. 755-776

Since the most important passage - the Shema - of the Siddur is found in our Sidra, we shall focus on these verses, 6:4-9.

I. What is the first and most important statement in this passage? 2. Why should we and how can we love our God with all our heart, with all our soul and with all our might? 3. Which words or ideas are meant by the verse: And these words, which I command thee, shall be upon thy heart.

28 VA'EI'HANNAN (SHABBAT NAf!AMU) continued 4. How can we observe the Mitzvah of "talking of them when thou liest down and when thou risest up"? S. Where is this passage of the Shema found at the entrance of our home?

'EQEV August 10, 1974

We learn the Mitzvah of reciting Grace after the meal- 1'11~1'1 n:~,;:, -from the verse in our Sidra: And thou shalt eat and be satisfied, and bless the Lord thy God for the good land which He hath given them" (8 :10). Let us focus our attention on the contents of the tm:m n:~,:l. (Parents are advised to read the passages of the Grace as they are referred to in the questions and answers.)

The Torah (J.P.S. Edition) pp. 338-346 Hertz Pentateuch pp. 780-793

I. The first blessing begins and ends with '~ ~nN ,,,::1. It contains the basic reason for reciting the 11m11 n::~,:l. What would you want to say after having a good meal? What is the reason given in the first blessing? 2. The second blessing contains two paragraphs, ending with the '~ ~nN 11,::1. Since it ties in the Grace with the verse in our Sidra, what would this passage likely be emphasizing? 3. The third blessing also contains two paragraphs, ending with the 'llllMN 11,::1. This time we ask God for something. What would you ask, and what does this passage ask? 4. The fourth blessing opens with 'llllMN 11,::1 but has no concluding blessing. We thank God for many other things and pray for other blessings to be bestowed upon us. What are some of the other blessings you would ask for, and what does this long paragraph ask? S. One prayer in the 1mm n:l,:l is for our parents. Can you spot it and recite it?

RE'E August 17, 1974 The Torah (J.P.S. Edition) pp. 247-356 Hertz Pentateuch pp. 799-818

I. When you are up before a choice of doing the kind thing or the unkind thing, are you forced to do the one or the other, or is the choice your own? 2. Are there rewards for the right choice? 3. How can you be helped to make the right choice? 4. Can you spot an example in our Sidra of kindness in the matter of tithing? S. Can you spot another example of kindness with regard to the poor? August 24, 1974 The Torah (J.P.S. Edition) pp. 356-363 Hertz Pentateuch pp. 820-835 I. Why do we need judges? 2. What kind of a person should a judge be? 3. In ancient Israel, kings ruled the people. What kind of a person should a king be? 4. In ancient Israel, there were also who preached to the people. What kind of a person should a prophet be? 5. The Sidra gives some Jaws about judges, kings and prophets. What about the priests - C'ln' - and the Levites? What was their place in the community of ancient Israel?

KI-TE~E. August 31, 1974 The Torah (J.P.S. Edition) pp. 363-370 Hertz Pentateuch pp. 840-857

I. If you should see your neighbor's pet lost somewhere far away from its home, what would you do? Why? 2. Suppose you saw a licensed dog whining outside your home, cold and drenched in the rain, but since you do not know its owner, what would you do? Why? 3. On your way home, you see a child's sweater on the street and you recognize it as your classmate's. What would you do? Why? 4. If you should see an elderly lady weighed down by the groceries she is carrying from the store, what would you do? Why? 5. Would you be responsible to carry the bundles for her if she gives them all to you but carries nothing herself?

KI-TAVO September 7, 1974 The Torah (J.P.S. Edition) pp. 370-379 Hertz Pentateuch pp. 859-873

I. Why does the Bible tell the farmer he should offer up his first fruits to the Temple? 2. Which of the first fruits were brought, and why? 3. What was the nature of the ceremonies that went along with the first fruit offerings? 4. "A wandering Aramean was my father ... " Does this phrase remind you of the main ceremony connected with Pesach? 5. How did the book that we read at the Pesach Seder get the name Hagga­ dah?

30~ NI?-?-AVIM September 14, 1974 The Torah (J.P.S. Edition) pp. 379-382 Hertz Pentateuch pp. 878-883

I. In the twilight hours of his life, Moses addresses the people, reminding them of the eternal covenant with God into which they entered at Sinai. Which sections of the people did he assemble to give this important message? 2. Did Moses include the children among those be addressed? 3. Why would Moses include the children? Were they mature enough to understand? 4. Since the Torah was given a long time ago, to the people alive then, are you bound by what Moses said to the people at the assemblage? 5. How can you and I reaffirm personally this covenant?

VAYYELEKH (Shabbat Shuva) September 21, 1974 The Torah (J.P.S. Edition) pp. 382-384 Hertz Pentateuch pp. 887-891 ·! I. Until what age did Moses Jive? 2. Do people live that long today ? 3. Who would become the leader of Israel after Moses? 4. Was Moses too sick or too weak to carry on when he handed over the leadership to Joshua? 5. Will the people be weakened because they will not have Moses .... as leader?

HA'AZINU September 28, 1974 The Torah (J.P.S. Edition) pp. 384-389 Hertz Pentateuch pp. 896-903

I. In language of rare eloquence and with a poetic style that soars, Moses calls heaven and earth to witness the truths of the lessons he lays before his people before he crosses over to the Great Beyond. Why does Moses call upon heaven and earth to be witnesses to the charge he places upon the people? 2. Why is Moses' teaching compared to rain and dew,light rain and showers? 3. What lessons of history does Moses try to teach in the poem of our Sidra? 4. How do we know that the past (our history) can teach us about our closeness to God? 5. Why is God's loving care compared to that of the eagle?

31

------~/ VEZOT HABBERAKHA (Simchat Torah) October 8. I 974 -· in Israel; October 9 - outside of Israel The Torah (J.P.S. Edition) pp. 389-393 Hertz Pentateuch pp. 909-917 I. Why is this Sidra read most often on a day other than Saturday? 2. Why Js this Sidra read on Simchat Torah? 3. Do you notice above that the Sidra is read on October 8 in Israel and on October 9 outside of Israel? How come? 4. How many Sifre Torah are taken from the ark for the procession of the - mcp~ -on Simchat Torah? 5. How many Sifre Torah are read on Simchat Torah?

ANSWERS TO TJ:IE BOOK OF BEMIDBAR - NUMBERS BEMIDBAR I. The book opens with a census of the Israelites in the desert, and numbers play a big part in the Sidra. 2. Only those of military age, those twenty years and older. 3. In 1:46, we find the total count of male adults: 603,550. 4. Judah (1 :26-27); Menashe (1 :34-35). 5. Subtract Menashe's total (32,200) from Judah's (74,600). In other words, the tribe of Judah was more than twice the size of Menashe. As the largest tribe, has this any bearing on the subsequent position of Judah in later history? NASO I. Family of Merari: 3,200 Family of Qehat: 2,750 Family of Gershon: 2,630 2. Note that in the census taken of the tribes, recorded in the Sidra Bemidbar, every male above the age of twenty was counted. However, in our Sidra the census was taken only of the males from age 30 to age 50 among the Levites. This would account for the great difference in the numbers. 3. They were the three sons of Levi, the third of the twelve sons of the Patriarch Jacob. 4. The sons of Qehat were in charge of caring for the most sacred objects of the Sanctuary, such as the ark, the Table, the Menorah, the Parochet, and the special utensils used in the ritual of the offerings (4:4-14). The sons of Gershon carried the cloths, all the hanging material and coverings of the Tabernacle (4:21-28). "" The sons of Merari were in charge of tr~nsporting the heavy and solid parts of the Tabernacle. Since they had the heaviest burden, they had the use of wagons ( 4 :29-33; also 7 :8). So did the family of Gershon have wagons, but less (7 :7). However, the fan:iily of Qehat, who carried the holiest objects, bore them upon their shoulders (7:10). 5. The work of the Levites in the Tabernacle was specialized and entailed at times difficult physical tasks. In one instance we are told that the Levites began their service at age thirty (4:3) and 1in a later chapter we learn that they started at age twenty five (8 :24). This discrepancy is resolved by the Rabbis (Tractate I;!ulin 24a) in that the Levites served an apprenticeship of five years, from age twenty five to thirty. (Interestingly, the Talmud derives from this that an apprentice who shows no promise in five years will never do.) A man reaches full strength and maturity by age thirty, according to Pirke Avot. However, as Rashi points out (4:2), physical strength wanes at age fifty, which was .the year of retirement for the Levites. BEHA'ALOTEKHA I. The Menorah of the Tabernacle had seven candlesticks. 2. The Menorah of the Tabernacle was hammered out of one piece. "Now this is how the lampstand was made: it was hammered work of gold, hammered from base to petal" (8 :4). 3. The verse (8 :2) reads: "When you light the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the candlestick." Rashi interprets this to mean that ' the wicks of the three candles on each side were turned in toward the central candle. 4. Hertz, on 8:2, quotes the Talmud that the Menorah gave out one combined blaze of light over against the central shaft of the candelbrum itself. Rashi gives a reason for the inward direction of the lights, to wit, "so that no one should say that God needs the light." 5. The Temple Menorah had seven candlesticks. The Hanukkah Menorah has eight candlesticks, plus a shamash, making it nine.

) SHELAI;! ' I. The ancient Israelites were bidden to make fringes - nl!'l! - on the corners of their garments, and to attach a thread of blue to the fringe at each corner (15:28).

33

I I I' .! 2. The Tallit- 11•?0- is worn during prayer. The Arb'a Kenafot -l7:11K m~J:I- is the folk name (in Yiddish- Arba Kanfes) given to the garment worn under the outer shirt. In both instances, they contain the fringes - 113'3 - which comply with the Biblical law of Tzitzit. 3. The third paragraph of the Shema, both in the Shacharit and in the Maariv service. 4. Note that the verse (15 :39) reads: "And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them." Literally, the phrase CI1'K,, means "and you shall see it." In the darkness of the night, one cannot see the Tzitzit. The Rabbis deduced from this phrase that the mitzvah of kissing the 113'3 is reserved for worship during daylight. 5. Just as the American flag is the symbol of loyalty to the U.S.A., so is the Tallit a symbol of identification with our duties to God.

QORAI:i I. Qoral). was the cousin of Moses and Aaron. 2. Aaron was the brother of Moses. 3. It was due to jealousy. Qoral;l thought that he deserved the mantle of leadership that was bestowed upon Aaron. 4. Aaron was the High Priest- ;,,l 1~:1 -a position of leadership next to that of Moses. Qoral;l was envious of his cousin in that position. 5. Interpret chapter 16 and the destruction of Qoral). and his band of followers according to the comprehension level of the child.

l:IUQQAT I. The answer is found in the episode of the Spies, read two weeks earlier in the Sidra of Shelal).. The cowardice and murmurings with which the Israelites received the report of the Spies showed that they were unfit for the challenge of a new land (Reread chs. 13 and 14 for the details.) 2. The exclusion of Moses from the Promised Land is connected with the episode of the striking of the rock by Moses (20:7-13). 3. Moses had the opportunity to sanctify God's name in a great miracle by bringing forth water from a rock in the presence of the entire congregation of Israel. When he gathered the Israelites before the rock, he spoke rebuk­ ingly to them. "Hear now, you rebels, are we to bring you forth water out of this rock?" (20:10). He then struck the rock with his rod in the same mood of anger, which was unbecoming of a great leader. Now, God punishes the great leader for even a minor offense, and in this instance,

34 V A'ETI;IANNAN I. ,nK ';T 1l•n7K ';T 7K11!1' ll?llll - Hear, 0 Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One. It sums up the teaching of the first and second of the Ten Commandments. (Try to interpret the Unity of God within the child's understanding; see Hertz's comments on 6 :4.) 2. Elicit the responses of the children to this question. (You may wish to use Hertz's comments on 6:5 as background material.) 3. "These words" refer to the teachings of the Torah, especially the references in this passage. See Hertz's comments on 6:6. 4. We recite the Shema every morning and evening. (It is the parents' duty to teach the Shema to their children and to recite it with them until they learn it by heart. The young child should especially be encouraged to recite this passage at bed time.) 5. This passage is part of the content of the parchment in the Mezuzah, to fulfill the verse: And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thy house and upon thy gates (6:9).

'EQEV I. The first blessing gives the essence of the Grace - thanksgiving for the food partaken. It should be emphasized that our thankfulness is rooted in our recognition that God feeds the whole world with lovingkindness and tender mercy: "Blessed art thou, 0 Lord, who givest food to all." 2. Note that our verse (8:10) contains the mitzvah of thanking God for the food and for the good land which He gave Israel. Our verse is the conclu­ sion of the Biblical passage which holds forth the promise of the good land, containing the blessing of its seven special products in its fruitfulness (8:7-10). 3. This portion begins with "Have mercy." We implore God's pity on the Jewish people, Israel and Jerusalem, the seat of the kingdom of the house of David. In addition, a very touching personal appeal is made that "we shall not be in need of gifts or loans of others but receive the blessings of God's helping hand which is full, open, holy and ample." ) ' 4. We ask for loving·kindness, mercy, deliverance, prosperity, consolation, sustenance, life, peace and all good. A number of supplications follow, each with the introductory words K1;T J?lM1;T - May the All-merciful ... These should be reviewed for their lofty and universal aspirations as well as for their personal longings. 5. K1n J?lM1;T: May the All-merciful bless my honored father, my teacher, the master of this house, and my honored mother, my teacher, the mother of this house, them, their household, their children and all that is theirs ... even thus may God bless all of us together and let us say, Amen.

37 l I RE'E I. Judaism states that man has free choice. "Everything is in the hand of Heaven, except fear of Heaven," say the Rabbis, underscoring this doc­ trine of free choice. 2. But Judaism sets up rewards for the right choice. This is clearly pointed up in the opening verses of our Sidra (II :26-28). 3. To help you in making the right choices, you can call upon your parents to guide you and you can study Torah to find the right answers to moral questions. (Give examples, if possible). 4. Review the laws of tithing (14:22-29) and the interpretations by Hertz. In the first instance (14:22-27), the tithe that is to be taken up to the Sanctuary is to be shared with other Israelites in Jerusalem. This is called the Second Tithe - 'l!ll ,!lll71l- This is to be offered in addition to the First Tithe - p!!>K, ,!!>ll~ - which is given to the Levite. 5. In chapter 15, the Torah emphasizes the duty of helping one's needy neighbor (15:7-11). But it goes one step further. Not only is the person obligated to help his brother in need, but the loan is automatically canceled in the Year of Shemittah (15:2). This law was modified by the great sage, Hillel, who enacted the procedure of Prosbul whereby the year of release - ~~·~!!> - did not affect debts that had been given over to the Court before the seventh year set in. (See Hertz's comment on 15:2.)

SHOFETIM I. Discuss the need for an ordered civil government. Give examples of everyday life, if possible, where there is chaos in place of order. 2. See 16:18-20 and Hertz's comments as background material for your discussion within the comprehension of the children. 3. The Torah sets up rules for the correct behavior of a king so that he should not consider himself above the law. He should especially have a copy of the Torah, which would guide him in his daily life. See 17:14-20 and Hertz's comments. 4. Interpret the place of the prophet - within the child's comprehension - using as background material the section of 18:9-22, with the comments by Hertz. 5. The function of the Kohen and Levite was to serve in the Sanctuary. In our Sidra they are given additional functions in matters of teaching and judging (17 :8-14). Since they served in the Temple, they were to receive their keep through Temple offerings and tithes, but were not to be alloted land (18:1-8).

38 KI-TE?:E 1-5. Allowing for free and full discussion, see if you can get additional light on the questions by referring to verses 22:1-4.

Kl-TAVO 1. Never to forget that the blessings of the field come from God. Of course, the farmer must plant the seed, water the soil and show care and constant concern. But if God hadn't stuffed the earth with what is needed to nourish the seed, all the loving care shown by the farmer would not help. Man needs God to put the raw materials in the earth, and God needs man to cultivate the soil to make things grow. Man should show he knows he depends upon God and His goodness, and he is grateful for His mercies. 2. The seven products named in Deuteronomy 8:8, namely, wheat, barley, fruits of the vine, figs, pomegranates, olives and honey. These were the fruits for which the Holy Land was particularly famous. 3. Read Hertz's footnote on 26:11 for a beautiful and touching account as described in the Mishnah. ;i 4. Indeed; the verses 26:5-8 were incorporated in the Pesach Haggadah, as a running Midrash of the phrases contained therein. You may wish to read the passage in the Haggadah. 5. When the farmer bronght his first fruits to the Temple, he made a declara­ tion of thankfulness in the presence of the Kohen, which started with -r these words: I profess this day unto the Lord thy God - D,'ll •mlll. The name :r!lll, which means to tell or profess, is taken from this phrase. The r name also comes from the phrase: 1l:l? mlm (Ex. 13 :8).

NIZ~AVIM 1. "You are standing this day, all of you, before the Lord your God- your tribal heads, your elders and your officials, all the men of Israel" (29 :9). 2. Indeed, for the following verse continues, "Your children, your wives ... " 29:10). 3. The children were the most important segment of the population for whom the Torah was given at Mount Sinai. A beautiful Midrash tells of how God asked Israel for surety that they would keep the covenant. The people offered the Abraham, and Jacob as guarantors, but they were rejected. Then Israel offered their Prophets and then their righteous Rulers, but they too were unacceptable. It was only when they offered their children as sureties for their faith in the covenant, did God accept Israel.

39 4. "I make this covenant, with its sanctions, not with you alone, but both with those who are standing here with us this day before the Lord our God and with those who are not with us here this day" (29:13-14). This includes all of us, in all generations after Moses, as well as those who heard his words directly. 5. We are called upon, each one of us,. to reaffirm God's covenant with Israel, through personal commitment to study of Torah and to fulfillment of its mitzvot. (Your very discussion of the Sidra at your family table is a reaffirmation of the covenant.)

VAYYELEKH I. Moses lived to the age of 120 (31 :2). Ever since then, 120 has been regarded as the perfect age. When a person celebrates a birthday, it is customary to offer the wish: "May you live to 120 years"- nlTII C'1TIIl71 nNil 1!7. 2. It is an unheard of happening. While the human life span has been greatly extended in this century, the average life span remains in the early seventies. 3. Joshua, who had served his master faithfully all his life and had been trained for leadership. 4. No. The Bible says, "his eye was not dimmed (he did not need glasses), and his energy was not lessened" (34:7) when he died. But with the people ready to cross the Jordan River and the decree that he die in the desert unchanged, Moses' time had come. 5. No, because God will guide Joshua in the struggles that are to come (31 :3-8). HA'AZINU I. Men come and go. Nations appear on the stage of history and disappear. Heaven and Earth, on the other hand, remain forever, and so the words are to have the testimony of witnesses who will always be. 2. Rain and dew fall on plants and refresh and revive them. So will the words of Moses comfort and stir hope in the hearts of his people in addition to warning them against acts of folly. 3. God chose Israel from among all other nations and Israel came to belong to God in a special way. His special concern for Israel is clear from the protection He gave His people by watching over them in their wanderings through the wilderness. Without that care, they would have perished. 4. "Remember the days of old, consider the years of ages past; ask your father, he will inform you; elders, tlley will tell you" (32:7). "For the portion of the Lord is His people Israel, Jacob the lot of His inheritance" 32:9).

40 5. Because an eagle can outfly any other bird, hence it carries its young on its wings, not in its claws as other birds do. Other birds are afraid that another bird may fly above it and snatch its young away if they carried them on their wings. But the eagle has no such fear. It fears only the arrow of the hunter. By carrying its young on its wings, it says in effect, better that the arrow should strike me rather than my young. In this way does Moses describe the self-sacrificing, loving care of God for His people.

VETZOT HABBERAKHA

I. This Sidra is read on Simchat Torah, which most often comes on a week­ day. 2. The final portion of the J:Iumash is read on Simchat Torah, which denotes the joy of the Torah. Immediately after completing the last chapter of the scroll, another scroll is taken and the first chapter of Genesis is read therefrom. Simchat Torah is the link in the unending cycles of Torah readings. 3. Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are observed on the same day in Israel but on two days elsewhere. 4. All the Sifre Torah that are in the synagogue are taken for the procession -mDprr. 5. Three: the Sidra, Vezot Habberakha, concluding the Torah; the first chapter of Beresbith, thus beginning the reading all over again; and the Maftir portion from the Book of Bemidbar.

pTnnl1 P™ pm According to Jewish custom, the completion of any of the Five Books of the Torah is marked in the synagogue by the congregation exclaiming pmrm ptn ptn - Be strong, be strong, and let us strengthen one another. Be strong to continue reading and studying the Torah and to carry out the teaching contained in it.

The Massoretic Notes state the number of verses in the whole Pentateuch to be 5,845.

41 FIRST WJBS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

BETH HATENAKH BY IsRAEL GoLDSTEIN

This is the third installment of reports presented at the First International Conference of the World Jewish Bible Society held in the spring of 1973. We bring here the report on the Beth Hatenakh by Dr. Israel Goldstein, Chairman of the Council of the Beth Hatenakh, and on Dor le-Dor by Dr. Louis Katzoff. Editor of Dor le-Dor and Vice Chairman of the World Jewish Bible Society.

Like all of you, I feel the sense of privi­ of the pure fountains of inspiration?" lege in being part of the First World Jewish Even where the Old Testament was not Bible Conference of our Society. We are studied in Hebrew, its culture in English meeting not only to learn Torah but to was a powerful factor in the life of the promote the cause of Torah. We believe founders of the American civilization, that the spread of the knowledge of our even as it has been and continues to be in Bible is a contribution not only to English civilization and, indeed, in world . the Jewish people but to the world civili- civilization. zation, which to a large degree is based Needless to say, our Bible could not on our Bible. have meant to any people what it has Coming from the American background, meant to the Jewish people. The late may I for a moment dwell on the place of Professor Solomon Schechter put the mat­ the Bible in American civilization. The ter aptly when he once wrote: Our grand­ Pilgrim Fathers who came to the new mothers and grandfathers who read the continent in 1620 brought with them not psalms and had a good cry over them only a Bible culture with stress on the Old understood them better than all the Testament, but a considerable knowledge professors. Once, long ago, when I had of the . I have in my lib~ more time to study and during the sub-­ rary a Tenakh printed in Antwerp in 1573 sequent years, though absorbed in Zionist which was brought to the New World by public service, I made a study of the Book one of the Pilgrim Fathers who came on the of Job, one of the most difficult books of Mayflower in 1620. It is in tiny print and the Bible. In this study I took occasion to unpunctuated, indicating that its owner was compare modern Christian exegesis, like quite at home in the Hebrew Text. It was that of Budde, Delitsch, Dillmann, Well­ handed down in that family from genera~ hansen and others with the medieval tion to generation. The descendant who Jewish commentators. I found that, except owned it, in the middle of the 19th century, for the fact that the moderns had the wrote an English poem on the flyleaf knowledge of archaeological studies and which contains these lines: ··why go to the knowledge of cognate languages, when the polluted waters of translation, instead it came to the basic interpretation of the

42 texts, what Goethe once said is irrefutably various Biblical periods, depicting occupa­ true, namely, that love is the key to under­ tions, dress, utensils, food, etc., as well as standing. artistic creations. It is planned that not How appropriate it is that the World only the architecture of the building but Bible Con.ference of Jews, professional also the landscaping of the grounds should scholars and laymen, should be held in th~ reflect the character of Beth Hatenakh in Bible land, in Jerusalem its capital, and the form of Biblical flora and fauna. You during the 25th anniversary of Medinat will find the essentials of this ?Ian beauti­ Yisraet. It should be left to Biblical fully set forth in your folders. scholars to co~ment on the progress that Since the Bible has been the great com­ has been made in Bible study in Israel mon denominator of Judaism, Christianity during the years of Israel's statehood, and Islam, the House of the Bible will partly as a result of archaeological studies. serve as a spiritual link between the But one does not have to be a scholar in adherents of the great religions and will order to acclaim the coincidence that more promote the interests of greater under­ than any one man, responsible for the standing between religions and peoples. establishment of Medinat Yisrael, is the In recognition of the importance of this man who more than anyone has given a project the Government of Israel and the push to Bible study as a layman's pursuit, Jewish National Fund have allocated for David Ben Gurian, the president of our this purpose a magnificant area of 28,000 organization. sq. meters on a hill opposite Mount I have been asked to say a special word Zion in the heart of Jerusalem, the about a special project of our Society, Beth heartland of the Jewish past, the JeMsh Hatenakh. Under the distinguished patron­ present and the Jewish future. As one's age of Mr. Ben Gurion, this project has gaze moves from this site across the been launched by our World Jewish Bible horizon, the Mount of Olives come into Society and our Israel Society for Biblical view and a host of agc-o1d associations Research, under whose auspices this Con­ come to mind. To the south and the ference is being held. The House of the southwest is the Valley of Refa'im, the Bible will house all that has been written site of several of David's early battles on the Bible in aU the languages. It will against the ; in the distance are contain collections of Bible publications, visible the Wilderness of Judea and the Bible commentaries and Bible studies. It Dead Sea and some of the scenes of will house the most important available Hebrew prophecy. 1t seems as if this editions of the Bible. It will be a centre of hillock has been awaiting the Beth Ha­ ,Bible research in all the languages· for tenakh. scholars of all faiths. It is planned _that It is estimated that this project will Beth Hatenakh should contain A replica of' entail il coSt of IL.12-15 million. The first archaeological finds throwing light on the step was taken when over a year ago a · Bible and exhibits of daily Jife during a preliminary ceremony was held on that

43 historic site - 'aliya al hakarka' - with it thought of before 7 And the next imme~ the participation and the blessings of the diate reaction is to think: why, of course, President of Israel, Zalman Shazar, the the World Bible Society is the natural President of our Bible Society, David instrument to promote it and to see it Ben Gurion, and representatives of the through with the help of Jews and non~ Government, the Jewish Agency and of Jews the world over. the Jewish National Fund. My friends and colleagues, this Bible In the near future this epoch .. making Conference will be remembered for the project will be actively launched, but we quality of the discussions and the calibre felt that it wolild be appropriate that this of its participants. May it also be remem­ convocation dedicated to the Bible and bered as the occasion when the Beth Ha~ held in Jerusalem should be the first tenakh in Jerusalem was intemationalJy international sounding board for the Beth proclaimed as a project to magnify, to Hatenakh. Like many great ideas, this broaden, to strengthen and to deepen the one seems to be so utterly fitting that the knowledge and the influence of our Book immediate reaction is to ask: why wasn't of Books.

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44 DOR LE-DOR

BY LoUIS KATZOFF From the First International Conference of the World Jiwish Bible Society

Dor le Dor is a new English periodical, appearing four times a year. What you have in your kit is the latest, which means that we have already gone through a complete annual cycle of this periodical.

The Bible Society has never put out anything in English for the English~reading Jewry, which after all is much larger than Israeli Jewry. What about the Golab, what about the people who perhaps need the Bible even more so than those of us who live with it day in and day out? In presenting this quarterly, what were our objectives? First and foremost, to offer the opportunity to people who love the Bible to read something on its interpretation. Every issue starts with two or three scholarly articles. I won't say that they are as technical or as scholarly . as Beth Mikra, and though I have heard criticism from some rabbis of America that we are pitching it a little too high for the American public, I think I would do so, at least for the first two or three articles, to give them the feeling that we have a certain standard with regard to that part of our objective. We have another and more important objective. You of the Society who come from the various continents will understand the problems we have in the United States and maybe even in your own communities. I think we received the keynote last night from President , Shazar who took off from what Rabbi Kah~ne of Argentina said - that we are in a terrible situation of assimilation and that somehow we are losing the character of being the People of the Book; from under our very eyes we have seen the Book disappear from us. President Shazar said we must give this back to 'Kol Am Yisrael', we must give it back to the 'Hamon Yisrael' - the laymen among us. if you please. There is another aspect of American Jewry that perhaps is also characteristic of other Jewries. As we read the press and as we know it from personal experience, the cultural gap between father and son is widening, and widening to the point where it has become a crisis~ a real crisis in America, where people are afraid they are going to lose their children- it is not only losing the Book, it is losing themselves, losing their children. I think personally we have found an instrument - we have to experiment with that instrument, we should have seminars to know how to work with this instrument that tell the father and the mother: Look, here it is, it is a ~schulchan aruch', you want to get close to your children, start when they are young. There is one principle that the Torah tells us, which all Jewries outside of Eretz Yisrael have neglected, and that is the simple principle that it is the father's job to tell the story of Judaism to his child, that he cannot leave it up to the rabbi or the Hebrew school alone to do it. The Hebrew school can do a lot, but without the parents in the picture of education. it wiU not work. continued on next page

45 AI;IAB- A "POOR" CI;IARACfER BY SOLOMON D. GoL_DFARB

.1? "l'l,:n~ n?m nN •nn~ .'i1r.l '" n?"'" 'nl~K n?nJ nK 1? )nK !!':> ,~,~ nK ,., )nK !!':>

In I Kin&s, Chapter 21, we are told that Naboth had a vineyard adjoining K.ingAhab's palace. The king expressed a desire to secure this vineyard, offering in exchange either a .. better vineyard", or its value in moriey. Naboth, the owner, rejected the offer, saying: "God fOrbid that I yield the possession of my fathers to you". Clearly, Naboth does not express defiance of the king's wish; he just cherishes his ancestral inheritance, a sacred possession. But the king, who is earlier described as a conqueror of a fortified city, did not possess the character 'to conquer his Just for an honorable neighbor's property (Viz. Ethics of the Fathers, 4:1). When the king reached his Palace, he grew very angry because Naboth had turned down his offer, saying: "I will not give you the possession of my fatherS." Quite a distortion of the original response by Naboth! The king is moved by his anger to· omit the neighbor's reservation "'rttl ,., nO,,O,n, God forbid." Why should a powerful king reckon with God's role in human relationship? Yet, that is not the end. When the queen, Jezebel, finds the king in a sore mood and asks the reason for his strange behavior (he refused to partake of the mecil set before him), Ahab tells her of the offer he had made Naboth who rejected it, saying: "I will not give you my vineyard." What a perversion of the original innocent and respectful statement by Naboth! The king, caught up by anger and covetousness, reports to his queen a double lie concerning his neigh~ bor. He omits Naboth's plea relating God's role and his motivation that the vineyard is "the possession of my fathers". According to the version reported to Jezebel, Naboth had said (obviously defiantly) "I will not give you my vineyard." Jezebel, who had introduced the pagan life-style into the court of Samaria, followed through by arranging a trial which would condemn Naboth as a traitor. Naboth was killed and "Ahab arose and descended to take possession of Naboth's vineyard." Ahab, the king of Israel, even like Macbeth, the king of Scotland, allows his character to deteriorate - because of Just for that which belongs to another. continued from the previous page We have to retrain our parents to give them the image of a teacher - that is, not a real teacher, but a teacher-companion. I take the dinner table because of its informal atmosphere. Getting dose to children should have an informality about it. This I think is the real purpose of this periodical. I would hope, if at all possible, io ·spend Some time with those of you who come froin abroad to see how to penetrate the home. I don't know the way but maybe some of us, if we put our heads together, might know how we inight get into the horne and make the father the teacher of his children.

46 1973-4 TRIENNIAL TANAKH STUDY CYCLE, SECOND YEAR "'IHn).:)., i"P)'O nl\!.1 'f"~'"' ]913-4 TRiENNIAL TANAKII STUDY CYCL[, SECO:>

su 8 Job 18 n~ :l'rK N::l su 25 Job 6 l li'IC ! su 11 Proverbs 25 , •?wn l:l 110 9 Job 19 t)' :ll'K :l:l 110 26 Job 7 T ll't< n MO 12 Pr~?Verbs 26 ,, ,;wn '"0 WE II Job 20 :1 :l1'1C :0 TU Z7 Job 8 n ll'K ~ TU 13 Proverbs l7 '' ~?W7l jl:l TU 10 Job 21 Kl ll'K '0 WE 28 Job 9 t) :ll'K. WE 14 Proverbs 28 "''~lm '0 TH 12 Job 22 l:ll'riC M:l TH 29 Job 1~ ':ll~K K' TH IS Proverbs 29 tD '?WD 1':1 FR 13 Job 23 ,, FR 30 Job 11 K' ll'it ,, FR 16 Proverbs 30 ~':l'rK ''~ rc SA 14 • ,ICC i1"VU" 'UDi1 ~JJ ,, SA 31 11 ,,l :rrW" 'tmil Mi:"i" l' SA 17 n• ,:J •a ?a1!!lw ·~., :"IK"' ":'! Deuteronomy 30 ; I:M:l, : ll'i? Deuteronomy 23 D c•,:1, : n•l1? Deuteronomy 13-14 ,_,, 1:1'1"0, : li'Yl

~~~aMI aunn ,.,.,., JIM, a•~wn liM a1•n t:l» •11nJ'n 1UJ11' DM ,'Ill D1 WUM IJT»' 1'101 p l:t ':riV'1' DJDM DY'I \~ sn•n'l •n -.n:a 121 1•n'IM 'n'l nnM ""P 011 ., ann:a n-.rut 11»pn1 M~n 1'lfl': •:nnJ 'I'JoM OJ!) J'II'IK UUI> M'Jo 1D)I 2.-.'1 'nD'IMI'I >)t ~ -.'Citl DIXIJft 'J2D n!nlo I call heaven and earth to witness nw day Ihat I have set Troly 1 know it is so: but how should a man be just For thou art a holy people 10 the Lord thy God, and the before th« life and death, blessin1 and curse: therefore, before God? If one will contend With him, he can11ot Lord has chosen thee to be a special possession to him· choose life. (Deut, 30:19) ans~r him one of a thousand. (Job. 9 :2-3) self, out of aU the nations tbat are upon the earth, (Dcut. 14:2} SEPTEMBER ~~~ .. SEPTEMBER ~~~ .. AUGUST• ~l.,N/lN onlD SU 15 Job 24 T.l :lN n:l su I Job 12 l' l\'lC , MO 16 Job 25 ro ::11"1 i') !40 2 Job 13 l' li'K 10 su 18 Proverbs 31 M? '"WI) '#"M W"\ TU 3 Job 14 "1" !:1\'K !0 MO 19 Job 1 K:l,IC M' WE 4 Job 15 ltJ:n"M I' T1i 20 Job 2 """""":1 !:l'fltc 'l TH 5 Job 16 ID l'r'K WE 21 Job 3 lll'X,_ Fll 6 Job 11 l':&'i'K "'01 TH 22 Job 4 .~' SA 7 1C ,0 :t"Ptv' '"Di1 FR 23 Job 5 i1ll"K n Deuteronomy 28 "' c•,:.,""'"" : w~; ·' SA 24 :1',1Clii"»W'''C!)i1 , Dellteronomy 19 D' tr-o, "'"""': rr~? 1DD \M,~ 1~ M-.pl •n D11 '' '1'ltn tD)I ';!' tM-.1 !'ond all the peoples of ~ ~rth ·,ball sec that thou art n-,D D•~•»D P\n" NlfDt 1D )'1\ JiliN called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be 1fruid Wbo can finiil a woman of wortb? for her price is far cr thee. (Deut. 28:10) above rubies. (Prov. 31:10) -

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1973-4 TRIENNIAL TANAKH STUDY CYCLE, SECOND "lHnll) iPl'U nl\!1 "''"", YEAR ._Hnn!:7 i'l'l'O ro~ ,,~.,. JULY/AUGUST ::!N On>ll JULY :JN Cnlll/tU:ln JU!'jE/JULY tlt111 , su 28 Lamentations 4 1 ti~'JC =c :'IPWll ~ su 14 Proverbs 2 .l ,~t_,)J ,, su 30 P.salms 140 "P t:I'?M 110 29 froverbs 14 1' '?IUD 140 15 Proverbs 3 l ''lU1.) il' MO 1 Psalms 141 K~ t:l'?i'U1 K• TU 30 Proverbs 15 1t) ''IUD II' TU 16 Proverbs 4 1'~1.) , TU 2 Psalms 142 l/:)ptl";;m :1' WE 31 Proverbs 16 lt)'m ~· WE 17 Proverbs 5 n ,;tro , WE 3 Psalms 143 l' Til I Proverbs 11 I' '?IUD l' TH 18 Proverbs 6 1 '?wl:l nj Til 4 Psa1Uls 144. -mp,.., "''""D'l;;m , FR 2 Proverbs .18 , FR 19 Proverbs 7 l ''IUD tl:l FR 5 Psalms 145 nl:lP ti"?M 10 SA 3 K ,D il'W" 't1Di1 "'"'""l~MNrl ,~ SA 20 1 ,.l iT'J:l1• 'Lltli'l W'T'IM l:iM J'ljU.' •pee· met~ N SA 6 'l,n i'C'Il:l •~:m., ~;-= Ill Deuteronomy 5 l1 1:1""1::11 : 11'1'? Numbers 33-34 .,_,, ,,., 'n'v> Nuq~bers. 24: 1 - 13 l'-M" ,""f:f. "U-n:= :rrn

UfUN UJIN ~ fUCU'I JIJ'U" liN 'n II,) UJJIU;IC JIM ~ o·un a•n~x 'l'JQ ~Ia -~~"' 1n lUIDI ~M,W' :'JIJIIOWD 2pJJ' 1'>l'lll \2!0.1\Q onn u» 01•" ftJI n)N So shalt th:lll flnd grace and good Unders~diq in the How _goodly are thy tents, 0 Ya'aqov, and thy taber-­ Tile Lord made not this covenant with our fathers, but sight or God and man (Prov. 3 :4) nacles, 0 Yisra'cl. (Nu. 24:5) with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day. (Dcut. S:3) JULY JN on>ll JULY mm

su 21 Proverbs 8 n '?tul:l ~ su 7 Psalms 146 11lP c,?nmou=n.= '"I~P :-::,t-=~ D'IJ I' AUGUST :IN onm 110 22 Proverbs 9 t) •?lUI:) l 110 8 Psalms 147 tl:lpc'?nn. h' su 4 Proverbs 19 ~~ TU 23 Proverbs 10 '''lt'!:l ,. TU 9 Psalms 148 MY D'~nn ~· 110 5 Proverbs 20 """"',., I' WE 24 Proverbs 11 ... , n WE 10 Psalms 149 DI!Y c,;nn TU 6 Proverbs 21 .,., Til 25 Proverbs 12 :l, ,,1171;1 , TH 11 Psalms!SO It> ,,,m >Poomr ' WE 7 Proverbs 22 l!l ''lt'Z:I ll'"' FR 26 Proverbs 13 I FR 12 Proverbs 1 • •)""' !1, TH 8 Proverbs 23 l:l ''WlJ SA 27 N ,IC :t"PW" 'DDrl Q'I"Q1 n SA 13 I ~ ii'J:l,, 'tlD.1 bMJD l) FR 9 Proverbs24 'D ,?unl l(!)' Deuteronomy 2 l D'"l:l1 : yry; Numbers.28 "' "l.l'm.l : l'l"i? SA 10 , ,b)) l't'"" '1:11):'1 =t'l7 Deutoronomy9 D C'"l:l1 : )1•Y? '' nJmb nn:tVI :anVt ,V1D ,li,., onn~ n•nH nDwm » :n,., ·~ 1n~t1 ~ ~ 1n1~ He thnt keeps instruclion is in the way of life, but he that n11»n ,, »nn tm ,., aNt tt OM \II) 'Wilt ,,~lim m refuse~ reproor leads astray. (Prov. 10:17) Praise _him upon 10undiD:~ cyl'!lbats;· pruisc him upotJ. Even a ddld it known by hit doings, whether his work be loud clashina: cymbals. Let everylhina: that has breath pure, and whether it be right. (Prov. 20:11) praise the Lord, Halelll)'&f (PIJ, U0:6) 1973-4 TRIENNIA.[. TANAKH STUDY CYCE.E, SECOND YEAR "lHnJ:OJ iPli!J illi!J 1 11 ~VIJI 1973-4 TRIENNIAL TANAKH STUD\' CYCLC, Sf.COSD YEAR

JUNE mm/1PO JUNE )PO MAY 11'0/1nx

su 16 Psalms 128 n:~pC'?M , su 2 Psalms 116 r~p c•?nn ,, su 19 Psalms Ji:J6 lV C1?i1n IJ MO 17 Psalmsl29 t:J:~p~?;m· l:l MO 3 Psal.msl17 i'P c•?;,n l' MO 20 Psalms 107 iV !::''iln :•',::··.-.• "l~·.n:: =~· ,, TU 18 Psalmsl30 ?p D'?i'U'I M:l TU 4 Psalms 118 n•pc•?M , TU 21 Psalms 108 nv c•?i'ln WE 19 Ps;llms 131 •lp O'OM ~'., WE 5 Psalms 119 ti'P c•?.lli ,~ WE 22 Psalms 109 tli' c•l;l,;n t:'"l1M :."M, "',N rn 20 Psalms 132 :J.?p c•?.'ln rnn _, rn 6 Psalms 120 :1p D'?:tn ~~ TH 23 Psalms no 'PO"tmn FR 21 Psalms 133 l?p D'7.1n r11n w-. K FR 1 Psalms 121 K'JP C'?jJn I' FR 24 Psalms 111 N~i' C''i1n l SA 22 , ,k"' ,M" ?IC11:1TU,~D.1 n"l&' !1 SA 8 '11 ,:l iT'1'Jf 'tiDil ,m~prc SA 25 N ,:l Vl!-'1,1 'V~i'l -o;t)= , Numbers 17 r• ,:J.lb:~ : J'Y'P? Numbers lD-11 K"'-' ,.l'TD::I : J'l"l'; "' Numbers 3 l 1JiljJ : ll'V?

2~0 D"''t t>tJI" 1'» 111'2 IJI~I:I 111,1A It» 'fJIOJC J'IN '11 lJII '!I CIINI:IJ 111 Cl)' n }JII 1.1n 1) JIJIN N)P.011 )I) T) ,n'CID 01'1'11.) Vl'li' ''1111.::1 l~'n tll'!l nl.::r.1l 1l':)Y 1)11)\W) an•))l 1n1, 1"1)' Thy wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the recesses of thy Enviest thou for my .sake? Wot~ld that all the Lord's Thy people offered themselves wil!mg!y 1n the majesty ot house: thy children like olive plants arot~nd thy table: people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his their holiness, on the day of the battle; when still the (Ps. 128:3) spirit upon them! (Nu. II :29) dew of thy youth was upon thee, fresh from the womb fo dawn. (Ps: 110:3) JUNE tmn JUNE )PO NAY/JUNE )PO su 23 Psalms 134 9 Psalmsl22 JJi' c•;jJn 'l?p c•T.tn l su ~· MO 24 Psalms 135 il~Y D'~nn ~ MO 10 Psalms 123 ~i' c•;iln ~ su 26 Psalms 112 ::~•v o•,jJn TU 25 Psalms 136 1?pO'oM TU 11 Psalmsl24 1:11' c•?i'ln N::l MO 27 SHAVUOT Ruth 3 lrm Mltll::IW " WE 26 Psalms 137 r?p D"'?nn ", WE 12 Psalms 125 i'1'JP O"~mn :::1::1 TU 28 SHAVUOT Ruth 4 1 Tm l;"'lil:l •;t• =~~ :1• rn 27 Psalms 138 ~?p D'?.,n r TH 13 Psalms 126 l'JV D';jJn l::l WE 29 Psalms 113 l'V O"tmn n FR 28 Psalms 139 o?p D'?i'1n n .,. 14 Psalms 127 '"P O"?.,n ,, TH 30 Psalms 114 T'p0"7;m SA 29 K ,K' l:fltlgjTU 'tlllo, J'll)n 0 SA 15 R ,J P1U'Iil' 'VDn ,, M~W i1::1 FR J1 Psalms 115 1t1p D';;rn " Numbers 20 : 1 - 22 : 1 K ,:J.:I - K ,'J ,.llb::l !TI"l1? Nwnbers-14 ,. ,.l'm::l : Jl"V? SA I ::1, l' C'tiDllV 'tiDil MW: N' Numbers 6 1 1J,Ij::l ll'li' 1''ll JIM UWQ U•» Dl tla'&l' DW = JI1111J ))I u; tuJIYI "Min '(1NI1 ;N 1»1\M M~nl 'n 1)2 '111M !:IN By the rivers of Bavel, -there we sat down, yea, we wept, w::r.n :a)n ~~ N•n '"'" ,," "''"" nnDVI c•nn !:IN Jl•.::r.n ""~i'Y •:a•V~I!l when we icmembcred Tziyyoo. (Ps. 137:1) If the Lord delight in us, then be will bring us into this He m3kes the ba!"H'n woman to keep house, and be a land, and give i! to us, 11. land which flows with milk and joyft~l moth;::r of children; Halelu>·a r (Ps. ·113:9) honey. (Nu. 14:8)

,, ,. • ~~~ ,,,., ,,, ,£· DOR le-DOR

Vol. II. No. 4 (n) Summer 1974

Job and Faust Sol Liptzin

The Burden of Job's Loneliness Ben Zion Luria 4

Jerusalem in the Bible - Part IV Shmuel Abramski 6

Notes on the Verse of the Week Let Everything Praise the Lord S. Joshua Kahn II

Who Was the Teacher in Biblical Days? Haim Gevaryahu 14

A Perfect Wife Haim Gevaryahu 17

Sources on the History ofTorah Reading - Part V Louis Katzo.ff 21

The Family Corner - The Books of Bemidbar and Devarim Philip L. Lipis and Louis Katzo.ff 24

First W JBS International Conference - Part III Beth Hatenakh Israel Goldstein 42

Dor le-Dor Louis Katzo.ff 45

Ahab -A "Poor" Character Solomon D. Goldfarb 46